40.1 （一）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, many bhikṣus gathered in the assembly hall after the meal and discussed: "This Mount Sumeru is extremely vast, not comparable to other mountains. It is very strange and special, tall and broad. However, it will soon be destroyed without any trace left. There are also other great mountains that rely on Mount Sumeru, which will also be destroyed."

At that time, the World-Honored One heard the discussion of the many bhikṣus with his divine ear. He then rose from his seat, went to the assembly hall, and took his seat. The World-Honored One then said to the bhikṣus: "What were you discussing here? What do you wish to accomplish?"

The bhikṣus replied: "The people gathered here discussed the Dharma matters. What we discussed was all in accordance with the Dharma."

The World-Honored One said: "Excellent! Bhikṣus! When you have left home, you should discuss the Dharma. You should also not abandon the noble silence. Because if bhikṣus gather in one place, they should practice two things. What are the two? First, they should discuss the Dharma together. Second, they should be in noble silence. If you discuss these two things, you will always attain peace and not lose the proper time. What was the meaning of the Dharma that you discussed just now?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Many bhikṣus gathered in this hall and discussed: 'How amazing! How extraordinary! This Mount Sumeru is extremely tall and vast, but this Mount Sumeru will also decay and perish before long, and the surrounding iron mountains will also decay and perish in the same way.' This was the Dharma discussion we had just now."

The World-Honored One said: "Do you wish to hear about the changes in the destruction of this world realm?"

The bhikṣus said to the Buddha: "Now is the right time. We only wish that the World-Honored One would explain it at this time, so that the minds of sentient beings may be liberated."

The World-Honored One said to the bhikṣus: "You should think about it well and keep it in your minds."

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, World-Honored One!" At that time, the bhikṣus received the Buddha's instruction.

The World-Honored One said: "Mount Sumeru is extremely vast, not comparable to other mountains. If a bhikṣu wishes to know Mount Sumeru, it rises above the water for 84,000 yojanas, and is also submerged in the water for 84,000 yojanas. Mount Sumeru is made of four kinds of jewels: gold, silver, crystal, and lapis lazuli. It also has four corners, also made of four kinds of jewels: gold, silver, crystal, and lapis lazuli. The golden city has silver walls, the silver city has golden walls, the crystal city has lapis lazuli walls, and the lapis lazuli city has crystal walls. On Mount Sumeru, there are five kinds of gods dwelling there, all due to past causes and conditions. What are the five? Namely, in the silver city, there are the gods with slender feet dwelling there; in the golden city, there are the Śirīṣa gods dwelling there; in the crystal city, there are the Joyful gods dwelling there; in the lapis lazuli city, there are the Powerful gods dwelling there; between the golden and silver cities, there is the king of the yakṣas, Vaiśravaṇa, dwelling there, with countless yakṣas. Between the golden city and the crystal city, there is the king of the nāgas, Virūḍhaka, dwelling there with the nāgas; between the crystal city and the lapis lazuli city, there is the king of the gandharvas, Virūpākṣa, dwelling there; between the lapis lazuli city and the silver city, there is the king of the kumbhāṇḍas, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, dwelling there.

Bhikṣus, you should know that below Mount Sumeru, there are asuras dwelling. When the asuras wish to fight with the gods of the Thirty-three Heavens, they first fight with the gods with slender feet. If they win, they then go to the golden city to fight with the Śirīṣa gods. Having defeated the Śirīṣa gods, they then go to the crystal city to fight with the Joyful gods. Having defeated them, they then go to the lapis lazuli city. Having defeated those gods, they then fight with the gods of the Thirty-three Heavens.

Bhikṣus, you should know that on the summit of Mount Sumeru, the gods of the Thirty-three Heavens dwell there. The illumination of day and night is due to their own mutual illumination. Relying on Mount Sumeru, the sun and moon revolve. The city of the sun god is fifty-one yojanas long and wide. The city of the moon god is thirty-nine yojanas long and wide. The largest star is one yojana long and wide, and the smallest star is two hundred steps long and wide. The summit of Mount Sumeru is eighty-four thousand yojanas long and wide in the east, west, south, and north. Near the southern side of Mount Sumeru, there is a great iron mountain, eighty-four thousand li long and eighty thousand li high. This mountain is surrounded by another mountain called Nimitta, which is surrounded by another mountain called Kharā, which is surrounded by another mountain called Bhisha, which is surrounded by another mountain called Horse Head, which is surrounded by another mountain called Vinaya, which is surrounded by another mountain called Iron Encircling Great Iron Mountain.

Between the Iron Encircling Mountains are eight great hells, each with sixteen sub-hells. The Iron Encircling Mountains are of great benefit to the Jambudvīpa continent. If there were no Iron Encircling Mountains, this place would always be stinky. Outside the Iron Encircling Mountains is Fragrant Accumulation Mountain, where there are eighty-four thousand white elephant kings dwelling, each with six tusks adorned with gold and silver. On Fragrant Accumulation Mountain are eighty-four thousand caves, all made of gold, silver, crystal, and lapis lazuli. The best elephants are ridden by Śakra Devānām-Indra himself, while the worst are ridden by the Wheel-Turning Sage King. Next to Fragrant Accumulation Mountain is the pond of fragrant water, where blue lotus flowers and jasmine flowers grow. The elephants dig up the roots and eat them. Next to the pond of fragrant water is another mountain called Ujjayagala, where various kinds of grasses, trees, birds, insects, and shellfish all dwell. Relying on that mountain, there are those who have attained the Way through spiritual powers who go there. Next is another mountain called Gandhamādana, and next is another mountain called Vulture Peak, which is the place of reliance for the Jambudvīpa continent.

Bhikṣus, you should know that when this world is about to perish, the heavens do not rain, and the crops planted do not grow. All small rivers and springs dry up. All conditioned things return to impermanence and cannot last long. Bhikṣus, you should know that at that time, the four great swift rivers, namely the Ganges, the Sindhu, the Oxus, and the Vakṣu, will also dry up without a trace. Thus, bhikṣus, impermanence has a hundred changes, and this is precisely it.

Bhikṣus, when there are two suns in this world, all grasses and trees wither. Thus, bhikṣus, impermanence changes and cannot last long. At that time, all springs and small streams dry up. Bhikṣus, when there are two suns, at that time the four great oceans will dry up to a depth of a hundred yojanas, gradually to seven hundred yojanas, and the water will naturally dry up.

Bhikṣus, when there are three suns in the world, the four great oceans will naturally dry up to a depth of a thousand yojanas, gradually to seven thousand yojanas.

Bhikṣus, when there are four suns in the world, the four great oceans will remain at a depth of a thousand yojanas. Thus, bhikṣus, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent and cannot last long.

Bhikṣus, there may be a time when, when there are five suns in the world, the four great oceans will have only seven hundred yojanas of water left, gradually down to a hundred yojanas. Bhikṣus, when there are five suns, the seawater will be one yojana deep, gradually drying up with nothing left. When there are five suns, only seven feet of water will be left, and when there are five suns, the seawater will completely dry up with nothing left. Bhikṣus, know that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent and cannot last long.

Bhikṣus, there may be a time when, when there are six suns in the world, the earth, which is sixty-eight thousand yojanas thick, will all emit smoke, and Mount Sumeru will gradually melt and disintegrate. When there are six suns, this trichiliocosm will all melt and disintegrate, just like a potter's kiln burning pottery. At that time, the trichiliocosm will also be like this, with flames everywhere, pervading everywhere. Bhikṣus, know that when there are six suns, the eight great hells will also be destroyed, and the people there will die. The gods of the five kinds on Mount Sumeru will also die, and the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-three, the Heaven of Yāma, up to the Heaven of the Mastery of Others' Emanations will also die, and their palaces will all be empty. When there are six suns, at that time Mount Sumeru and the trichiliocosm will all be completely burned without anything left. Thus, bhikṣus, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent and cannot last long.

Bhikṣus, there may be a time when, when there are seven suns in the world, at that time, although this earth is sixty-eight thousand yojanas thick and the trichiliocosm, all will catch fire. When there are seven suns, at that time, Mount Sumeru will gradually melt and disintegrate, collapsing naturally for hundreds of thousands of yojanas, forever without anything left, and not even the slightest trace of dust or smoke will be seen, let alone ashes. At that time, the palaces of the Heaven of the Thirty-three up to the Heaven of the Mastery of Others' Emanations will all be burning with flames, and the flames here will reach up to the Heaven of Brahmā. The newly born gods in those heavenly palaces, who have never seen the burning of the eon before, will be filled with fear upon seeing these flames, fearing being burned by the fire. However, the gods who were born there before and have seen the burning of the eon will come to comfort the newly born gods, saying, 'You should not be afraid. This fire will never come here.' Bhikṣus, know that when there are seven suns, from here up to the six heavens and the trichiliocosm will all become ashes and dust, without any trace of form. Thus, bhikṣus, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent and cannot last long, all returning to extinction. At that time, the people who die will all be reborn in other lands or in the heavens. If the beings in the hells have already finished their past offenses, they will be reborn in the heavens or in other lands. If the beings in the hells have not yet finished their offenses, they will be transferred to other lands. Bhikṣus, know that when there are seven suns, there will be no more light from the sun, moon, or stars. At that time, the sun and moon will have already disappeared, and there will be no more day or night. This is called, bhikṣus, the destruction caused by karmic retribution.

Bhikṣus, you should also know that when the eon is about to be restored, there may be a time when the fire will naturally extinguish itself, and a great cloud will rise in the sky, gradually raining down. At that time, this trichiliocosm will be completely filled with water, up to the Heaven of Brahmā. Bhikṣus, know that at that time, this water will gradually stop and disappear by itself. Then a wind will arise, called 'following the wind', blowing this mass of water together into one place. At that time, that wind will create a thousand Mount Sumerus, a thousand Mount Yugandhara, a thousand Mount Nimimdhara, a thousand Mount Khadira, a thousand Mount Iṣādhara, a thousand Mount Vinataka, a thousand Iron Circle Mountains, and a thousand Great Iron Circle Mountains; it will also create eight thousand hells, and then create a thousand Horse-headed Mountains, a thousand Incense Accumulating Mountains, a thousand Pāṇḍava Mountains, a thousand Yugandhara Mountains, a thousand Jambudvīpas, a thousand Godānīyas, a thousand Kuru, and a thousand Uttarakurus; it will also create a thousand oceans, and then create a thousand palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings, a thousand Heaven of the Thirty-three, a thousand Yāma Heaven, a thousand Tuṣita Heaven, a thousand Nirmāṇarati Heaven, and a thousand Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven.

Bhikṣus, you should also know that there may be a time when the water subsides and the earth is restored. At that time, there will naturally be earth fat on the ground, extremely fragrant and delicious, surpassing nectar. If you want to know the taste of that earth fat, it is like sweet grape wine. Bhikṣus, you should know that there may be a time when the Ābhāsvara gods will say to each other, 'We want to go to Jambudvīpa to see the restored terrain.' The Ābhāsvara gods will then descend to the world and see the earth fat on the ground. They will then taste it with their fingers and eat it. At that time, the gods who eat a lot of earth fat will lose their spiritual power and light, their bodies will become heavy and flesh and bones will grow, they will lose their spiritual feet and will no longer be able to fly; while those gods who eat little earth fat will not have heavy bodies, they will also not lose their spiritual feet and will still be able to fly in the sky.

At that time, the gods who lost their spiritual feet all cried out and said to each other, 'We are now extremely poor and miserable, and have also lost our spiritual feet.' They stayed in the world and could not return to heaven, and thus ate this earth fat. They looked at each other's faces. At that time, the gods who had strong desires became women, and thus engaged in sexual intercourse and enjoyed each other. This is called, bhikṣus, the first time the world was formed, and this sexual practice spread in the world. This is an old and constant law, that women must appear in the world; it is also an old law, not just now. At that time, the other Ābhāsvara gods saw these gods fall and all came to scold them, saying, 'Why do you engage in this impure conduct?' At that time, the beings again thought, 'We should make a plan to live together at night so that people cannot see us.' They gradually built houses to cover their bodies. This is called, bhikṣus, the cause and condition for the existence of houses.

Bhikṣus, you should also know that there may be a time when the earth fat naturally sinks into the ground, and then turns into rice, which is extremely fresh and pure; it also has no husk, is extremely fragrant and delicious, making people fat and white; harvested in the morning, it grows in the evening; harvested in the evening, it grows in the morning. This is called, bhikṣus, the first time the name of this rice came into being. Bhikṣus, there may be a time when the people are lazy and do not work hard to make a living. They will then think, 'Why do I have to harvest this rice every day? I should harvest it every two days.' At that time, those people will harvest the rice every two days. At that time, the people will gradually become pregnant, and from this there will be birth.

There may be sentient beings who say to other sentient beings, 'Let us go together to harvest rice.' At that time, those people will reply, 'I have already harvested enough for two days.' Having heard this, those people will then think, 'I should store enough food for four days.' They will then prepare enough food for four days. There may be sentient beings who say to those sentient beings, 'Let us go together to harvest rice outside.' Those people will reply, 'I have already harvested enough for four days.' Having heard this, those people will then think, 'I should prepare enough food for eight days.' They will then prepare enough food for eight days. At that time, that rice will no longer grow.

At that time, the sentient beings each had this thought: 'There is a great disaster in the world. This rice is no longer as it was before. We should now divide this rice.' They then divided the rice. At that time, the sentient beings again had this thought: 'I should now store my own rice and steal others' rice.' At that time, those sentient beings stored their own rice and stole others' rice. The owner saw someone stealing his rice and said to that person, 'Why did you take my rice? I forgive you for this offense, but do not do it again.' At that time, there was the first thought of stealing in the world. At that time, there were also sentient beings who heard this and had this thought: 'I should now store this rice and steal others' rice.' At that time, those sentient beings abandoned their own things and took others' things. The owner saw this and said to that person, 'Why did you now take my rice?' But that person remained silent and did not respond. At that time, the owner immediately struck him with his fist and said, 'From now on, do not encroach on each other again.

At that time, many people heard that sentient beings were stealing from each other. They gathered together and said to each other, 'There is this unrighteousness in the world, where people steal from each other. We should now appoint a field guard to protect the fields. The sentient beings who are wise and talented should be appointed as the field guard.' At that time, they selected a field guard and said to him, 'You should know that there is this unrighteousness of theft in the world. You should now be paid for guarding the fields. If people come to take others' rice, you should punish them.' At that time, they appointed a field guard. Bhikṣus should know that at that time, the field guard was called the kṣatriya caste. It was all the old Dharma, not unrighteous.

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

There was the beginning of the kṣatriya caste, the highest among
the surnames, wise and talented people, respected by gods and humans.

At that time, when there were people who encroached on others' possessions, the kṣatriya king punished them. However, those people did not reform their faults and continued to commit offenses. At that time, the kṣatriya king ordered the use of swords and sticks to behead those people. At that time, killing first appeared in the world. At that time, many people heard this order: 'The kṣatriya king will kill those who steal rice.' They were all fearful and their hair stood on end. They each made grass huts to sit and meditate in, practiced the brahmanic conduct, unified their minds, abandoned their family businesses, wives and children, and secluded their intentions to practice the brahmanic conduct. From then on, the name and surname of the brahmins appeared. At that time, these two kinds of surnames appeared in the world.

Bhikṣus, you should know that at that time, due to stealing, there was killing, and due to killing, there were swords and sticks. At that time, the kṣatriya king told the people: 'Those who are handsome and talented should be appointed to govern these people.' He also told them: 'If there are people who steal, punish their crimes.' At that time, this vaishya caste appeared in the world.

"At that time, many beings had this thought: 'Today, beings all kill each other, all due to karma. Now, we can travel around to make a living.' At that time, the shudra caste appeared in the world."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

First there was the kshatriya caste, then the brahmin
caste, thirdly the vaishya caste, and then the shudra
caste. These four castes gradually gave birth to each
other. They all came from heavenly bodies and had
the same color.

Bhikshus, you should know that at that time, although there were still thoughts of killing and stealing, there was no more of this naturally grown rice.

"At that time, there were five kinds of grains: root seeds, stem seeds, branch seeds, flower seeds, and fruit seeds, as well as other seeds that grew. These were called the five kinds of seeds. They were blown here from other buddha lands and were used as seeds to sustain themselves. Thus, bhikshus, when there were these omens in the world, there was birth, aging, sickness, and death, which led to the five aggregates of today, not being able to end suffering. This is called the change of the formation and destruction of the eon. I have told you what the buddhas of the past always practiced. I have now told you all. You should enjoy living in quiet places, you should remember to sit in meditation, do not be lazy, for if you are not sincere now, it will be of no benefit to regret later. This is my instruction."

At that time, the bhikṣus heard what the Buddha said, and joyfully received and practiced it.